1888 ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT TRAVEL DIARY DETAILING THE EVENTFUL VOYAGE OF PIONEERING ANGLICAN MISSIONARIES OFF TO ESTABLISH ST. CUTHBERT'S IN COLONIAL BRITISH GUIANA

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On offer is a fascinating and significant manuscript relic of Christian outreach being the handwritten diary of, for the most part Mr. Rymer, an Anglican missionary on his way to B ritish Guiana [today Guiana or Guyana], to found with a ten other missionaries [six men, four women and one youngster] the first English Mission at St. Cuthbert's (formerly Pakuri). Travelling from Bristol to Demerara, dated November 26th 1888 through to January 1st 1889 the writer begins the account explaining her authorship: "The following pages up to December 30th contains tracts from Mr. Rymer's Diary kept on board the "Augusta", He being the only one who felt able to write for the first three weeks, all suffering more or less from sea-sickness so that he kindly gave me permission to copy out anything I thought would interest my friends as soon as I felt able to do so. I must ask friends to kindly excuse bad writing and any errors they may discover as it was written on the deck of the "Augusta" and sometimes with very great difficultly. Also that friend will kindly read it as soon as possible and pass it on to others mentioned at the back of this book." The work was done by Mrs. Elizabeth Sparrow as stated and then wrote the final three pages of her own entries. Uniquely this is a journal of many parts; on the one hand a travel diary detailing life on board a cross Atlantic ship that reads much like William Golding's To The Ends of the Earth with this chosen few Anglican missionaries who would establish the still running mission in 1889 a mere three months after arrival. Like a novel the voyage begins near unanimous sea sickness and then a critical officer of the crew, the pilot, dying at sea only days out. The wonderful mundanities of shipboard life are also detailed from the co-ed accommodation aboard a small ship to the daily devotional readings which showed brilliant forethought for including Sir Everard Ferdinand Im Thurn's then recent work, "Among the Indians of Guiana; Being sketches chiefly Anthropologic from the Interior of British Guiana" (1883). The book is near full with 62 pages, black cloth boards, overall G+. Here are some snippets: "Berke up first, soon after I went out on deck and enquired after the pilot the Capt had given him a dose of Castor oil, and before turning in last night I took him another dose from the Capt in a little coffee, he still complained of pain in his stomach, this morning on enquiring he had been suffering all night a few minutes the old boatsman followed me and wished me to come and look at the pilot. He said his hands were very cold. I went into the berth at once and the old boatsman and carpenter spoke to him, but got no answer. They lifted him up and we at once thought he was dead. We watched him a little his forehead was warm, but his eyes ??? and his hands deadly cold. I ran to the Capt and told him that the old pilot was dead he came and laid him out and ordered the flag to fly at half-mast. It was so sudden and sad! Bro. Gordon spoke to him the night before about his soul and gathered he was not prepared for death. A pilot boat came in the afternoon and took the dead body of the old pilot off." "... sea very calm, and all the passengers on deck much improved, the wind round again to S.W. Distance, traversed 60 miles. The large ship in sight all day, and two Barques, one a long distance in sight all day. All going in the same direction as ourselves... Later in the morning a second book was commenced, entitled 'Among the Indians of Guiana' which Mr. Wilson had brought... very interesting to all, as we are now Demerarians..." "Captain up all night, the morning shewed a further change in the colour of the sea from a dark green to a lighter and then very light green. Bottom found this morning, with fine sand, next time fine sand and shells, and at last mud, Domerara mud again, at 10-25 the report was raised of land sighted, at ¼ to 12 chimney stacks and trees, soon after one and another saw it, after dinner all the party went to the top of the "Forecastle" at the bow, and with the naked eye got a sight of the land to which we are bound, then the sight. Ship came into sight, of the land and all felt very grateful and glad to know we were so near our desired haven. A time of much ??? to all, the sailors too crowding to see the land as much as ourselves, so we thank God and take courage. After breakfast we had a profitable time over part of the 18th Psalm. And at 1-=25 met for our little meeting for the breaking of bread, and had a precious season together around the cabin table as we remembered the Lord. Though somewhat affected by the odour of the place. It is by no means an attractive or salubrious place, and is now very close, though the skylight is wide open at 3-30 reached the sight-ship ascertained from there that there was a possibility of our getting in by that tide which rejoiced us all. Took Black pilot and his assistant on board, to conduct us to the mouth of the river, we then went down stairs to make ourselves presentable for landing, and put up a few things to bring away with us for the night. This done we had a cup of tea and then quietly waited for the Harbour Master to come on board to see that all were in health before landing." " It was a lovely sight to us, such a number of Coullerd people some Coalblack, the dress of the women being very striking, most of them wearing instead of bonnets or hats, a white cloth round their heads shewing up their black faces to perfection..." 31 December 1888. "At 6 o'clock a gentle knock at the bedroom door, a little Chinese girl with a tray of tea and nice buttered toast... At 10-30 assembled for breakfast, which consisted of salt fish, and plantains roast & boiled. Spiced cold beef steak pie with boiled rice, and Bok yams. All very nice... and introducing us to our black Brethren and sisters who were coming and going all day." Mrs. Huntly welcomed us at the Mission House, had tea ready, which we so enjoyed, it was such a after the tea we had been drinking on board ship for 5 weeks. After tea we were shown by Mrs. Huntly our bedrooms, all were provided with very comfortable sleeping compartments in the Mission House, we have a splendid large airy room, bed wide enough for four people, clean, and free from all living creatures except one mosquite which must have hid away inside the netting but it only buzzed about, having mercy on me the first night. Tea being over and feeling refreshed we went into the Meeting Room, which adjoins the Mission House, it was very late and we were tired, but felt the people would be disappointed if we did not let them have a look at us, as they had heard of our arrival. Mr. Rymer, Mr. Sparrow and Mr. Mitchell each took part for a short time. It was a lovely sight to us, such a numbed of Collared people some Coalblack, the dress of the women being very striking, most of them wearing instead of bonnets or hats, a white cloth around their heads shewing up their black faces to perfection. The Meeting room is a large, airy room and was well fitted with people. The meeting over oh such a welcome, waiting in crowds to shake hands, and tell us how pleased they were to see us, and how they had prayed for us, that we might arrive in time for their night-watch service it was truly an affecting time, we were very glad to get home, and after partaking of a beautiful sweet orange, we retired for the night, full of praise and gratitude to our Heavenly Father for thus far fulfilling our desire in allowing us to see (Demerara) may our coming ??? be for His glory.; Manuscript; 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall; KEYWORDS: HISTORY OF, REVEREND RYMER, ELIZABETH SPARROW, ARAWAK, LUCAYAN, TAINO, DEMERARA, ESSEQUIBO, BERBICE, SIR WALTER RALEIGH, GEORGETOWN, STABROEK, SUGARCANE, BAUXITE, PAKURI, ST. 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